1.85 lakh saplings to be planted on KCR's birthday

Tourism Minister V Srinivas Goud on Wednesday said that plans have been chalked out to plant 1.85 lakh saplings on the occasion of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s birthday on February 17.

Addressing a press conference here, he said saplings of date palm and caryota urens (Jeeluga trees) would be planted in coordination with officials of Prohibition and Excise department as part of Green India Challenge call given by Rajya Sabha member J Santosh Kumar.

Instructions have already been issued to officials to plant over one lakh saplings. Right from Commissioner to the constable along with the



staff in each excise station should plant over 50 saplings in one hour and upload photographs and videos on www.twitter.com/vsrinivasgoud.

The assistance of the toddy tappers cooperative societies can also be taken in the initiative.

Since researchers recently found that over 25 litres to 30 litres of ‘neera’ could be generated from ‘Jeeluga’ plants, instructions have been issued to plant a large number of saplings of ‘Jeeluga’ plants. “We have asked the Sports and Tourism departments to plant over 85,000 saplings at various places,” he added.